Ballade No.1

Historical context

Robert Schumann received this new ballade from Chopin in September 1836, remarking that he considered it “the most pleasing but not the cleverest of his works.” Despite Schumann’s assessment, Chopin himself stated that it was his favorite among his compositions, as Robert Schumann recorded in 1836. This early work thus held a special place for its creator.

An amusing anecdote from Dr. Niecks recalls an ingenious publisher who, perhaps lacking a sense of humor, titled the G minor Ballade as ‘Ballade ohne Worte’. This curious title, meaning ‘Ballade without words’, offers a glimpse into how the piece was perceived and marketed in its early days, even if it was not Chopin’s own designation.

Drawn from Huneker, James, 1857-1921, Chopin : the man and his music (1905); Karasowski, Maurycy, 1823-1892, Frederic Chopin : his life and letters (1906) — public domain, archive.org.